We’re seeing many stars for these great genre reads:

BY GASLIGHT by Steven Price
“With its intricate cat-and-mouse game, array of idiosyncratic characters, and brooding atmosphere, BY GASLIGHT has much to please fans of both classic suspense and Victorian fiction.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

BLACK WATER by Louise Doughty
“Another morally and emotionally fraught thriller from British writer Doughty (APPLE TREE YARD), this one about an operative for an Amsterdam-based black-ops organization grappling with fallout from his personal and professional history in Indonesia. Powerful, probing fiction in the tradition of Graham Greene and John le Carré.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Doughty takes a page from John le Carré, crafting a riveting, psychological, morally ambiguous tale. Harper’s backstory is richly detailed, and his budding relationship with Rita is convincing. Finally, the role of mercenaries in world affairs adds a new perspective to the spy novel genre.” — Library Journal, starred review

DESOLATION FLATS by Andrew Hunt
“Set in 1938, Hunt’s outstanding third mystery featuring Mormon policeman Art Oveson (after A KILLING IN ZION) combines a moving portrayal of a man attempting to deal with his wife’s depression with a clever whodunit story line. The richness of the characters, including secondary ones, and the imaginative plot make this the best yet in the series.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

“[A] knockout of a novel… so powerful it can be taken as a stand-alone. The real magic here, though, is the author’s ability to make this ordinary man so fascinating. Credit Hunt’s writing. Like his hero, it’s only plain on the surface.” — Booklist, starred reviewreadmoreremove

THE YEAR OF FEAR by Joe UrschelTwo stars for this true crime about the legendary kidnapping case that launched the FBI. “For those interested in the early years of the FBI and gangsters, this is the book to read. Just as this crime held the interest of the people on a daily basis in 1933 through the newspapers and radios, today’s readers will be completely absorbed.” — Library Journal, starred review

A IS FOR ARSENIC by Kathryn Harkup
A Publishers Weekly Fall 2015 Science Pick! “If you’re an Agatha Christie fan, read this book. If you’re a forensic-science fan, read this book. If you know someone harboring a grudge and an unseemly interest in poison, hide this book. Harkup, a chemist, has written a knockout analysis of poisons used in Christie’s novels and short stories, complete with an appendix that lists every Christie work in order of publication, with the cause of death for the more than 300 people who died at Agatha’s hand. This is an absolutely bravura chemical compound.” — Booklist, starred reviewreadmoreremove